OUR MISSION
Our mission is to bring awareness, accountability, and transparency to sexual violence against athletes at all levels.
- Awareness of sexual violence at all levels of sport
- Accountability for perpetrators and the institutions that enable them
- Transparency so athletes do not fear retaliation when reporting abuse, and institutions do not cover it up
Why We're Here
Nearly 6 million children and young adults in the United States are survivors of sexual violence through their participation in sports (2) (3). This translates to nearly 13% of all student-athletes — and likely many more than that — as we know this crime is consistently underreported (1).
The culture of sports today often makes athletes feel like they have to say yes to whatever they are asked to do because otherwise their career, their love of their sport, or their identity within that sport, could be threatened.
We empower athletes with compassion, strength, and courage to embrace the fundamental truth that they have a right to safety.
OUR WORK
We support sexual violence survivors and change society through advocacy, education, and resources. Through our efforts, we work to eliminate sexual violence against athletes, change the systems to prevent abuse in sports, and stand with survivors in their fight for justice.
Ongoing advocacy for inclusive, diverse, and trauma-informed state, national, and international laws and policies that support survivors of sexual abuse in sports
- Participate in legislative advocacy including reforming laws related to sexual assault of minors
- Garner public support for and promote athletes’ rights
- Elevate survivor voices in advocacy efforts
- Create public awareness of the prevalence of sexual violence in sport, prevention methods, and safeguarding best practices
- Promote best practices and policies for sports institutions and governing bodies to implement in order to safeguard athletes
Building and offering inclusive, diverse and trauma-informed programming and technical assistance related to sexual abuse in sports to coaches, parents, programs and the International Olympic Committee
- Host community events for athletes, parents, communities, and sports institutions
- Develop a menu of trainings and corresponding curricula to conduct training and technical assistance to athlete organizations, athletes themselves, and other stakeholders
- Provide consultation to sports governing bodies nationally and globally on trauma-informed practices, athlete safe-guarding, incorporating survivor and athlete voice into their practices, and more
Creating and disseminating inclusive, diverse, and trauma-informed support related to sexual abuse in sport to athlete survivors, and those changing laws so that they can better protect athletes and young adults
- Create resources materials for athlete survivors, secondary survivors, allies and community specific to the abuse in sport context
- Create a network and collaborate with athlete survivors nationally and globally
- Coordinate and collaborate with allied agencies and organizations to create resources
- Host Survivor Speak Outs and networking events for athletes
- Aggregate existing resources for survivors of sexual violence within sports
CORE VALUES
Our values drive how we approach the work in order to realize our mission and vision
- Empower athlete survivors to know their rights including their right to report sexual abuse if they choose to do so
- Create a zero-tolerance culture for sexual abuse in sport
- Support athlete survivors through development of resources, allowing survivor athletes to guide our efforts, and developing partnerships with allied organization
- Advocating for survivors by demanding change to hold abusers and enablers accountable
WHERE WE STARTED & WHAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED
Our organization was created by a group of more than 40 survivors of sexual violence
We are a diverse group of athletes who competed at all levels: gymnasts, divers, runners, softball players, volleyball players, and more. Our combined history and experiences allow us to raise awareness regarding the systemic problem of sexual abuse against athletes.
Our goal in creating The Army of Survivors was to end sexual assault against athletes by ensuring perpetrators and enablers are held accountable, creating transparency in reporting, building an environment in which athletes do not fear retaliation when reporting abuse, and advocating for change to protect survivors.
Four years after our inception, we are gratefully well-established in the national and global communities as experts within this area and we plan to continue to learn and grow with the intent of creating the most impact on behalf of athlete survivors.
Working together, we can dismantle this system and build a new one based on trust, safety, and youth athletes’ personal control over their bodies and experiences.
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